Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) refers to the entrepreneurial task of using the resources (capital, production equipment or personnel) available in an enterprise in as efficient a way as possible for the operational chain.
An ERP system is currently used in many businesses for tracking costs and order transactions. Maintenance data and processes are also increasingly implemented there.
Conventionally, these ERP systems are not coupled to process control systems. The structures and associated master data and/or characteristics are maintained separately by hand in each instance.
Many features of the ERP system are also required in the control technology and must therefore be input twice. Considerable effort is required to keep both systems in synchrony (e.g. with a module changeover etc.).
The data is currently entered by hand; a regular, automated consistency maintenance does not exist.